Got Change?: NBA Plans New Format For ’25 All-Star Game In San Francisco

By Barry Janoff

December 17, 2024: In the months following the league’s 2024 All-Star Game — during which the Eastern Conference beat the Western Conference 211-186 — NBA commissioner Adam Sliver was adamant about rebooting the game’s format.

“We’re looking at other formats,” Silver said during media events, including the Mexico City game last month.

“I think there’s no doubt that the players were disappointed as well in last year’s All-Star Game. I think everyone was disappointed in what they saw last year It wasn’t just the league. It was the players as well, the players association.”

With that in mind, the NBA and the National Basketball Players Assn. today said a new format would be in place for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game.

The reimagined event is scheduled for Feb. 16 in Chase Center, home of the Golden State Warriors (TNT).

(Editor's Note: Voting is now open for the 2025 All-Star Game).

For the first time, the NBA All-Star Game will feature a mini-tournament with four teams and three games played out in four quarters.

Two teams will meet in a Game 1 one semi-final (previously the first quarter) and the remaining two teams will meet in a Game 2 semi-final (second quarter).

The two losing sides will seek third place (third quarter). The winning teams from Game 1 and Game 2 will advance to face each other in the Game 3 championship (fourth quarter).

For each game, rather than time, the winner will be the first team to reach or surpass 40 points.

The four teams participating in the NBA All-Star Game will compete for a prize pool of $1.8 million.

Each player on the championship-winning team will receive $125,000, each player on the second-place team $50,000 and players on the third- and fourth-place teams $25,000 each.

Each team will have eight players and be named for a Turner Sports TNT Inside the NBA analyst.

The 24 NBA All-Star selections will be divided evenly into three teams, with the rosters drafted by  commentators and honorary team general managers Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith.

The three analysts will make their respective picks for Team Chuck, Team Shaq and Team Kenny live on TNT in the NBA All-Star Draft, which will be conducted Feb. 6.

The fourth team will be the winning team from the championship game of the Castrol Rising Stars, the annual showcase of top first- and second-year NBA players and NBA G League standouts,.

It is scheduled to be played Feb. 14 during NBA All-Star 2025.

TNT analyst and WNBA legend Candace Parker will serve as honorary GM of the Castrol Rising Stars champion, known as Team Candace.

The voting process to determine the 24 NBA All-Stars will remain as in previous seasons.

The five players honored as starters in each conference will be selected by the public (50% of the vote), current NBA players (25%) and a media panel (25%).

The seven players honored as reserves in each conference will be selected by NBA head coaches. 

The four NBA All-Star Game head coaches will come from the coaching staffs of the teams with the best regular-season record in each conference through games played on Feb. 2.

The head coach of the leading Eastern Conference team and the head coach of the leading Western Conference team will each coach an NBA All-Star team.

An assistant coach from one of those staffs will serve as head coach of the Castrol Rising Stars champion, and an assistant coach from the other staff will coach the remaining All-Star team. 

NBA All-Star Voting presented by AT&T ,begins Dec. 19 and concludes Jan. 20.

People can void via the NBA App powered by Microsoft and NBA.com with their NBA ID.

Public voting updates will be shared Jan. 2, 9 and 16.

TNT will reveal the NBA All-Star Game starters Jan. 23 and the reserves Jan. 30.

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